Katie Daisy

Magic Summer

2012-07-02T00:08:00.000-07:00

Hello beauties, how are you? How is your summer shaping up? I must say... mine is turning out to be rather magical. There's a certain enchantment swirling around my days, and I can't quite put my finger on what it is. Cumulus cloud canopies? Naps in the grass? Serendipitous encounters? A combination of it all, perhaps? I've been compiling a list of sweet summer moments that I've experienced throughout the years (and some that I haven't yet) and I'd love to share them with you. Maybe one or two might inspire you to embrace your magic summer.

Camping on the beach
Hiking through the Redwoods
Cliff jumping into a lake or river
Driving hwy 1
Iced coffee & journaling at an outdoor cafe
Eating strawberries straight from the vine
Finding giant moths & tiny toads at dusk
Sleeping during a wild storm
Mineral baths with the windows open
Moonshine out of a mason jar
Getting lost in an unfamiliar town
Canoe trips that creep into the night
Making love in a pasture
Digging carrots in the sun
Raccoons in your backyard
Rosewater & lavender cocktails
Snapping turtle ponds
Unlikely friendships
Sheer, gauzey dresses in the breeze
Delicious solitude
Reading Walden on a pier as the sun goes down
Muddy feet & messy hair
Dimly lit apartments & sweet summer air
Walks with your lover down a dirt path
Kissing in the pines
Dreams that become reality
Driving through the desert
Wild Maine blueberries
Firefly extravaganzas in the Blue Ridge Mountains
Skinny dipping & back floating in a cloud painted lake
Packing up and heading out
Iced maple latte
Naming constellations from a rooftop
Daydreaming under giant sequoias
Summer night playlists: Beth Orton, Nick Drake, Iron & Wine
Receiving a bouquet of wildflowers
Taking a train to Montana
Hiking the Appalachian Trail
Diving in
Strawberry pie
Outdoor showers
Full moon adventures
A car full of camping gear
Farm stands in the middle of nowhere
Barn kittens

Tell me how you're spending your summer ♥

I have a blog!?

2012-06-25T02:28:00.000-07:00

Whoa! It's been MONTHS since my last post... I guess that's what happens when you're a painter with a bad case of wanderlust. Well, it seems to me as though I've landed in the lovely town of Bend, Oregon. Have you been? After living in Portland for 8 months, I've become a little soggy. I'm currently residing in the high desert, drying out :) Bend is quite lovely and my place reminds me of a sweet little Parisian loft. It has exposed brick, vintage chandeliers, huuuge windows and a luxurious clawfoot bathtub. Heavenly, really! Not to mention, the farmers market is RIGHT BELOW my window. I found it on allofcraigs.com. It's a website that lets you search ALL of Craigslist (hence the name!)I think I typed in "exposed brick" and "clawfoot." Take a look:
I'm loving that Bend is a relatively a small town full of nature & friendly folks. I hardly know anyone (psst... introduce yourself!) but that's one of my favorite things about moving somewhere new - making new connections! I've found a lot of good nooks here, and a few really great ones. My favorite coffee shop (which I frequent on a daily basis) is Lone Pine. They make a delicious maple latte. Thump is a close second, as I love their lavender mocha. I'm also a regular at Dudley's. It's a cafe/book shop/cozy hang out for anyone looking to melt into a novel for a few hours while sipping on a cup o' chamomile. I was there the other day during a rainstorm and it was one of the most magical moments I've experienced in a while.

I got rid of my car a year back in Asheville, and I figured it was about time to get a new mode of transportation. Pictured above is my new Electra bike with sweet Clementine in the front basket. Projects & Etsy have been steady which is a great blessing. I just finished a fun project for Natural Vines, a natural licorice company based out of Bend. Here's a sneak peek of what I've been working on:

I've also been dreaming of Paris a lot :) I've never been out of the country, but hopefully by next year that will change. I'd love to go to Italy or France... New Zealand, Australia... Bali? I created this quick little illustration tonight while watching Midnight in Paris. Have you seen it? One of my all time favorite movies!

Well, I think that's enough of an update for now. How are all of you? Enjoying the summer? Any fun summer plans? Sending love to all of you everywhere!

This Wild & Precious Life

2012-01-16T04:46:00.000-08:00

Hello dear ones, and welcome to 2012! This is my first painting of the new year! The Mary Oliver quote I illustrated above is so meaningful to me... what, oh what, will you do with your precious life? Have you ever made a life list? Things to accomplish in this life...? Here's the one that's been hiding out in my sketchbook:

1. Jump off a rock into the ocean
2. Eat pizza in Naples
3. Lay in a lavender field in Provence (or anywhere!)
4. Own a beautiful 200yr old farm house
5. Make a line of fabric
6. Bathe in hibiscus flowers in Bali
7. Have garden with poppies, daisies, cosmos, crickets & hummingbirds
8. Create an outdoor bathtub/sacred space to bathe in every day of summer
9. Make a strawberry pie from scratch
10. Stay in a yurt on the ocean (accomplished this last week!!)
11. Live out of an airstream for a while... pick up and move wherever/whenever. Set up camp in National Forests, seashores...
12. Climb a mountain
13. Hike the Appalachian Trail
14. Learn to Sew
15. Live in New Zealand
16. Skinny dip (again ;))
17. Learn every constellation recorded
18. Sit in stillness every day for at least one hour
19. Marvel at the Northern Lights
20. See the French Riviera
21. Learn to SURF!

- - - -

There are sooo many more things in my noggin that I'd love to accomplish. Let's see how many of these I can complete in 2012!

What's on your list?

2011 Year in Review

2011-12-31T03:25:00.000-08:00

Hello dear friends. How are you? Can you believe another year has passed us by? All of 2011's moments are gone with the summer breeze ...or maybe collected in your heart? I know I've collected so many memories, friends & lessons from 2011.

Oh MY, what a wonderful year it was... perhaps my favorite yet. I have SO MUCH to be grateful for. Here's a list of fifty sweet-as-honey 2011 highlights:

Rung in the new year with my best friends at an Avett Brother's show

Lived in beautiful, beautiful Asheville, North Carolina and shared a country dream home with two amazing women, a kitty and a clawfoot tub.

Perhaps 2011's most magical moment: I rode a bicycle through a forest wearing only a bikini. At the end of the trail I swam in a lake with a horse.

Illustrated the book Heart Thoughts by Louise Hay - coming out February 2012.

Soaked atop a drizzly North Carolina mountain in a hot tub.

Got a gym membership and became really active (for a while!)

Danced my heart out at an Asheville drum circle

Saw my artwork on an American Greetings Valentine's Day endcap

Had a Thai massage that rejuvenated my mind, body & spirit

Witnessed my best friend Heather get married

Drank lots of Silver Needles & Tulsi tea at my favorite teahouse, Dobra

Met my spiritual mentor, Alia

Had my first facial and felt like a brand new person

Realized that being alone is a gift

Took part in a great art collaboration with my dear friends Peter & Kima

Painted butterflies, flowers & lettering for Target's spring line. Saw my art on teapots, gift bags, mugs & so much more.

Created packaging illustration for Sunbites

Had my heart broken

Had my heart mended

Witnessed a misty mountain firefly extravaganza. I will never see anything like it again.

Tried moonshine... and really liked it.

My notecard set debuted with teNeues

Had the best iced coffee of my life at The Mill in Lincoln, Nebraska

Illustrated 10 cards for Madison Park Greetings - to debut in 2012

Had gum surgery (ouch!) and finally got my teeth in healthy spirits.

Took my Basil cat on oodles of walks through the mountains. He would follow alongside me with his fur poofed up.

Participated in several craft shows and a few gallery shows

Moved to the beautiful Pacific Northwest for a new adventure with Luke

Ate the most delicious salmon crepe ever.

Had an amazing dream about a farmhouse, ferris wheel & a Milky Way meteor shower

Learned (and still learning) to love rain

Met the Pacific Ocean and stood in awe (first picture)

Saw my first look at my home decor/garden line with Demdaco - to debut 2012

Bought a pink Christmas Tree

T-Shirts!

Played countless games of Scrabble

Let go of what didn't serve me

Let go of many insecurities

Created album art & posters for several musicians

Met & hired the most wonderful studio assistant, Melanie

Designed a blog for Ashley

Saw my art published in several magazines & publications

Reached 9,313 Etsy sales

Met some of my favorite Portland artists

Illustrated a journal for Chronicle Books - out in 2012

Created art for Portland's Alt Weekly - Willamette Week

Spent $456 in one trip to the Post Office (mailing Christmas orders!)

Momentarily lost track of my bliss... but began to chase it again.

Felt a (mostly) constant flow of abundance

Made the entire year (actually THREE years!) without getting sick -- not even a cold!

- - - - - -

It really has been incredible and I can't wait to see what 2012 has in store. Although 2011 brought some amazing experiences, there are areas I need to nurture a bit more. For example - I should be exercising regularly, spending less time online (more time in stillness), becoming a bit more stable with my finances, nurturing my relationships and above all, really looking within and asking whether I'm living the most authentic life possible.

Much laughter, light and happiness to you all in 2012.

SO MUCH LOVE!!

Katie Daisy

Pathless Woods

2011-12-05T18:16:00.000-08:00

Companion piece to my "Wild & Free" painting...

"There is pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep sea, and music in its roar:
I love not man the less, but Nature more"

- Lord Byron

Rain, coffee & art!

2011-10-29T14:05:00.000-07:00

Eek! Sure has been a while since my last blog post. How are you all? I'm busy as a bee over here in Portland, OR! I'm trying to get used to the rainy, grey days... which to the locals, haven't even "started" yet!
I've been working on a few huuuuge projects including: a line of greeting cards, illustrating a book for a well-known author (stay tuned for details!), a blog re-design, a magazine cover, iPhone cases, and more! Because of all this freelance work, I've gotten a little behind on my Etsy orders... which brings me to the next bit of exciting news:

I have an assistant! Her name is Melanie and she's the lovely talent behind Soma Venus and Rad Cat. She's a total cat lady -(works at a shelter, professional kitty photographer)so we most definitely get along. So far, we've done a little work and a lot of cat things. Or is it the other way around!? ;) I'm super grateful for her assistance and I hope she likes her new job!

Up top are 3 new paintings + a self portrait in my new studio! I really love the house we're living in... a super sweet 2 bedroom house with lots of character & charm.

Well, that's all for now... Have a lovely day, friends!

Daisy

Savor Beauty

2011-09-07T15:33:00.000-07:00

Savor & add to the beauty around you :)

Prairie Camping

2011-08-28T14:42:00.000-07:00

My best friend Heather is getting married! To celebrate, we went camping at Nachusa Grasslands in rural Illinois... it was SO much fun.

Our camping night included: campfire stories, almonds, chocolate, pita chips, cookies, a night hike and lots of stargazing :)

Did you hear? I'm moving to Portland, Oregon! I've officially fled the state of North Carolina for a change of scenery. I've loved every minute of Asheville, but the gypsy in me is saying, "time to move!" I'm excited to be closer to the ocean... collecting treasures on the beach and getting new inspiration.

For now, I'm in Northern Illinois until Heather gets married -- I'm her maid of honor! Shortly after that, I'll round up Luke and Basil and high tail it out to the Pacific Northwest. Adventure awaits!

Summertime Soiree

2011-07-29T17:59:00.000-07:00

A new summer afternoon-inspired pattern ♥

Travels West

2011-07-24T22:56:00.000-07:00

My sweetie Luke and I recently took a trip out west to Nebraska, South Dakota & Minnesota. Here are a few shots of our travels...(all taken with a cheapy disposable camera!) We have so much fun together :)

I'm convinced that the little yellow house was mine in a previous life... I love it dearly!

Have you traveled at all this summer? If so, where?
xo

Summer Sales

2011-06-19T15:18:00.000-07:00

It's summertime! That means it's also art sale time. I've had a ton of fun so far this summer with the shows I've participated in. These images are from my most recent art show at Freshly, a sweet boutique in Denver, NC and The Big Love Fest in Asheville, NC. It's been interesting to experiment with display elements. Vintage linens, chipped up barn wood furniture & ever-so-sweet buntings made by the lovely Jessie have played a big role in my setups.

I'm currently having a display built by the super-talented Darlene of Hatchett Designs. Can't wait to share what she comes up with!

The next show I'm taking part in is The Big Crafty in downtown Asheville. It's on Sunday, July 10th - mark your calendars! There'll be tons of amazing vendors, food, music... Hope to see you then!

I'd love to hear about your festival/craft show displays :)

Patience, Please

2011-06-09T22:41:00.001-07:00

Please remember this... it's so very important.

Stillness Speaks

2011-05-22T12:56:00.000-07:00

 "All true artists, whether they know it or not, create from a place of no-mind, from inner stillness." - Eckhart Tolle

Beautiful Evening

2011-05-21T22:24:00.001-07:00

Wildflowering

2011-05-15T21:04:00.000-07:00

Having fun with some new patterns. Look for these on notecards soooon :)

Goodies from the North

2011-04-28T16:32:00.000-07:00

I recently took a trip North (Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota) where I found all sorts of delicious things. I collect vintage hankies and was soooo thrilled to stumble upon the most beautiful prints for $1 a piece! I also found an amazing vintage Valentine, a sweet little chocolate box & gold foil letters.

Yippee!

Beauty

2011-04-20T21:51:00.000-07:00

Made from scanned doilies, vintage embroidery, watercolor, acrylic & gold foil letters :)

Pocketful of Posies

2011-04-13T09:48:00.000-07:00

Uncle Mountain Gig Poster

2011-03-27T23:48:00.000-07:00

Here's a little gig poster I did for Asheville band, Uncle Mountain. There will be some space at the bottom for the guys to write in their show info. That way, if they have gigs in multiple cities, they can use one poster & just change the details! How handy...

I hope they like it!

My Idols

2011-03-09T12:01:00.000-08:00

 1. Olaf Hajek  2. Gina & Matt  3. Grady McFerrin

There really are no words to describe the utter fascination I have with these three artists. They've all had a tremendous influence on my work and I am in awe of their talent and skill. I LOVE THEM!

Oh, the Sea!

2011-03-06T14:52:00.000-08:00

Another saltwater-themed piece :) Watercolor/acrylic. Avail in my Etsy shop!

Salty Air

2011-03-05T23:34:00.000-08:00

Dreaming tonight of waves & constellations. Watercolor, acrylic, some digital collage. Print available at my Etsy shop. ♥

Dreaming Again...

2011-02-28T17:08:00.000-08:00

a. HaoJan Chang  b. Parker Fitzgerald  c. Irene Suchocki  d. Rengim Mutevellioglu

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Oh,
 I am dreaming again. Today was stormy and beautiful... it conjured up 
all types of feelings in me. One thing I know for sure: I have to get to
 the sea! The urge to go to the ocean is like none other. I anticipate a
 journey to the beach in the next coming weeks. 

Lately
 I've been thinking about dreams & goals, what I have accomplished 
and what's left to accomplish. I'm so grateful that I've been able to 
attain so many goals at my young age of 23, but understand that I can't 
stop now! It's so important to keep creating & following new dreams.

SO, I thought it would be great to share a list of NEW dreams with my fellow blog readers. Here are a few I came up with:

1.
 Travel to: France, Italy, Ireland, Costa Rica, Bali, Iceland, Montana, 
The Galapagos, Easter Island, India, New Zealand, Greece, Morocco, 
Nepal... to name a few ;)

2. Live in a country seaside cottage with a detached shed for a studio. 

3. Find an amazing assistant to help with my Etsy orders, e-mails, project managing, etc.

4. Jump off a cliff into the sea

5. Develop a regular yoga/meditation routine

6. Learn how to sail

7. Learn how to garden

8. Meet more people!

9. Maintain authenticity through all of my business endeavors

10. Connect more with my family

I'm
 sure more goals will come in time and I'd love to share them with you 
as they do. For now, that's what I'm striving toward. I wish you all the
 best in accomplishing your goals too! Feel free to share what you're 
dreaming of :)

 (image via sugarock99)

My favorite painting ever.

2011-02-23T11:49:00.000-08:00

John Singer Sargent - Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose

A Beautiful Day

2011-02-16T08:21:00.000-08:00


Magnificent Creatures by me \| Summer, Please Return by Irene Suchocki